zumba=aerobics on steroids

When was the last time you went to an exercise class where there was more than 100 people in the gym?

Tonight I went to the Zumba class with Beth and her friend. There was more than 100 people in the class, ranging in age from six on up. Mostly young skinny minnies, but there was a few of us "real sized" women. Less than half brought reusable water bottles. (It's 2010. Haven't they gotten the memo?)

The instructor was energetic and fit. You could do an anatomy lesson on the muscles in her arms. I'm guessing her body fat was 15%, maybe.

So you literally dance your ass off.

Your feet are doing one thing, your hips another, and your arms a third thing. All together. You are also bending and twisting. It's aerobics on steroids. I was wiped at the end of the warm up and then she kicked it up a few notches.

The instructor uses hand signals to tell you whats coming next, and it took me a while, but I finally figured out that there is a lot of repetition in the movements during a song. Her finger twisting in a circle means turn around. She points toward her core and it means hold it your gut. Pointing up down, left, right, that type of thing.  When we did the butt dance hers went maybe 100 times in a minute. Oh and the happy face. She wants you to smile while you're torturing yourself.

I did maybe a quarter of what everyone else did, mostly incorrectly, and way slower. I was lost and confused most of the time. And sweating like crazy. If you can do it, it's quite the workout. Now I know why it's popular. Heck, even if you can't do it, it is.

But I won't be going back. It's really high impact, and my knees won't take it. I'm also not coordinated enough to do all the movements together. This fat girl is sticking to walking.